


A Human, a Cryptid, and a Merperson Walk Into a Bar...

by RisingReptiles



Category: Original Work
Genre: Everyone’s non-binary because IM non-binary heck yeah, I’ll add tags as they come up but this is like... just a vague introduction so far, Monster - Freeform, The title is... a work in progress..., cryptid, drider, except not really, idk if there’s gonna be any relationships other than “funky roommates” or not so we’ll see, merfolk
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-08-27
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:01:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24709543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RisingReptiles/pseuds/RisingReptiles
Summary: A simple cottage, sitting by the edge of a slight cliff leading to a beach. Behind it, deep sprawling woods. Only a slightly worn dirt path leading to the true road to the nearby town, which currently had the cottage’s owner riding back home on it. Said owner is a human by the name of Arris, though they are more commonly known by the townsfolk as “that weird guy who lives in the abandoned house by the woods”. Which isn’t too far from the truth. One of our other characters, who is yet to be named, is heading back into the woods after taking a few vegetables from Arris’ garden. And our last character, who doesn’t yet have a name in any human language, is currently passed out, riding waves closer and closer to the beach.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Uhhhhhh I have. Finally written a start to the story about the characters I’m always drawing.  
> Anyways enjoy this mess, please tell me if I misspelled anything or if a sentence is weirdly worded.

* * *

_A simple cottage, sitting by the edge of a slight cliff leading to a beach. Behind it, deep sprawling woods. Only a slightly worn dirt path leading to the true road to the nearby town, which currently had the cottage’s owner riding back home on it. Said owner is a human by the name of Arris, though they are more commonly known by the townsfolk as “that weird guy who lives in the abandoned house by the woods”. Which isn’t too far from the truth. One of our other characters, who is yet to be named, is heading back into the woods after taking a few vegetables from Arris’ garden. And our last character, who doesn’t yet have a name in any human language, is currently passed out, riding waves closer and closer to the beach._

======

For the past three weeks, there has been an issue with something, or more likely someone, stealing vegetables from their garden. Arris lets out a sigh as they re-enter their home from the garden. Why? Why was someone stealing their vegetables? And who was? At least one of those questions would be answered now, as they’d purchased a… ‘trail cam’ from one of the stores in the town. It was supposed to pick up movement and record it, so perhaps then they’d have an answer. An idle thought crosses their head that maybe it could be that monster who lives in the forest they’d overheard some people talking about today… but that’d be stupid. As fun of an idea as it would be to have monsters and cryptids and mythological creatures exist or even be here it was absurd. There’s no way a man with the ability to grow extra arms and countless eyes was just wandering around in the woods in a suit. And the suit thing just makes it obvious. Why would some monster be wearing a suit _specifically_? Besides, ‘spiderman’? Really? That was the best name they could come up with for this new local monster? It just sounded like a weird knockoff to the popular and well known superhero, Mothman, from the comics. It was even less believable than the stories of a giant striped sea serpent that was spotted at a beach nearby. I’m any case, the camera was now set up facing the vegetable garden, and would, hopefully, catch the thief. 

======

Arris startles up out of bed as a loud crash comes from outside. They stand there for a moment, heart racing and adrenaline flowing through them while their sleep-muddled brain tries to figure out why they are now awake and standing up. One explanation might be the weird noise coming from outside. Almost a weird clicking noise? 

“Maybe it’s that camera..?” they said as they picked up a pocket knife and their phone. They pressed in 911 before starting downstairs to check outside. If whatever- or whoever- was out there gave them any trouble they had a knife and their phone already ready to go. They slipped out the front door and almost got pushed back in by the wind. It was fairly dark out as a storm seemed to be coming, and the dark clouds covered the moon. They slipped around to the back of their house before freezing. Everything seemed to slow down as they took in what they saw. Two pairs of insectoid arms sprouting out of a back. Two more humanoid arms, if you ignored the _claws_ , clutching onto an axe. It turns to face Arris, and they notice its eyes are wide and completely white. It has other things on its face as well- wait are those… more eyes? They notice what looks like some sort of fangs or mandibles sticking out of its mouth. Oh definitely mandibles, they just moved when it made… whatever that clicking-growl noise was. Its hair is as pale as its eyes, and Arris is still standing there. Frozen. It turning and starting to run away is enough to break them out of their stupor.

“Wait-!” Arris yells, extending a hand out, as if that would stop it. It pauses and turns back for a moment. _Oh, I didn’t actually think this far ahead. What should I say? Maybe I should offer food? Fuck what’s a food think think think-_ “Would you like to have some cereal?” _Bruh._ Arris is ready to smack a hand over their face, apologize, and leave, but its face starts to… rearrange as its mandibles seem to retract and sink back within it, leaving an almost normal human looking mouth. 

“What is a… cereal..?” Oh it speaks english, although the way it said things still didn’t sound quite… human. Which would probably be expected, that is probably not a human. Oh wait it asked a question!

“It’s uh… food? That people eat, usually around breakfast time or… anytime as a snack if they want I guess.” Arris shrugs and brings their hand back from how it was outstretched.

“That does not fully answer my question and raises more questions. Such as, what is ‘breakfast time’.” Its multiple eyes squint and it tilts its head to the side. 

“Oh uh… how ‘bout you come inside and I can answer your questions while you have some cereal?” It seems to consider the offer for a moment before nodding and walking back towards you. It- _They? He? She?_ Follows Arris back around the house and towards the front door. They watch with a mix of horror and fascination as its- _their?_ Arms fold and shrink and disappear into their back, leaving no trace except for four slits on the back of the suit, so they can fit through the doorway. 

“Oh, also, what uh… what are your pronouns? Like, what do you go by?” 

“What?”

“What do people call you? Like, well, my name is Arris, I go by they them and he him pronouns. What’s your name and pronouns?”

“I do not have a name. Or pronouns. I do not interact with people.”

“You’re interacting with me,” Arris points out, to which they- it? ‘hms’ and tilts its head in consideration. 

“Then my name is… Arris. And I will go by they them and he him pronouns.” 

“I- no that’s- that’s _my_ name you- you gotta pick your _own_ ,” Arris, the human one, splutters out. 

“Then what would you suggest?” The creature steps towards Arris, eyes narrowing, and Arris gulps, racking their brain for cool names. 

“Uhhhhhhhh how about… Arachne..? It’s uh- it’s from mythology, it’s about someone who got turned into a spider and- uh- you kinda seem like a spidery person and also it’s just a cool name and-“

“What pronouns come with that name?” Arachne cuts Arris’ nervous rambling off. 

“What? Nah man that’s your decision. Names and pronouns are two different things, they aren’t the same for each one.”

“Then… What pronouns are there?”

“Uhhhh there’s he him, she her, they them, those are more… common? I guess? But then there’s also neo pronouns, like xe xem and kit kitself and… a lot more but I’m kinda blanking right now to be honest. Maybe… go sit down at the table and we can discuss that more in depth as well over the, uh, cereal?” Arachne backs up and nods, to which Arris breathes out a sigh of relief to no longer being cornered and goes to get down bowls and cereals. 

“I think I like… the xe xem one…” xe quietly says from where xe’s sitting. Arris glances over their shoulder to see xem smiling, while fiddling with xeir sleeves. 

======

Multiple bowls of cereal (due to Arachne wanting to try at least a little bit, and then some, of each Arris had) and many attempted explanations of said cereal as well as pronouns and other societal norms such as ‘breakfast’ later, Arris happened to glance to their side and see that the sun was starting to rise. They cut off in the middle of reciting all of their known knowledge about beyblades to mutter out a curse and start picking up boxes of cereal to put them away. 

“What is it? What is happening?” Arachne stands up and pulls out xeir two other pairs of arms. 

“Wha-? Oh, nothing I just- I just like to sit on the beach and watch the sunrise if I’m up early enough,” they pause and turn to see Arachne untensing and retracting their arms again, “wanna… wanna join me? You don’t have to, I just- it’s nice, sometimes. To not be alone. Y’know?”

“Yes, I will join you at the beach.” Arris nods in response and leads the way out the door. 

The two walk down the crumbling steps set into the cliff side and onto the pebbled beach. Arris sits down and looks off towards the horizon with Arachne shortly following them. 

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it? I know I see the sun set and rise day after day but it never stops being beautiful.” It had rained and then stopped in the time the two had talked, and the rocky beach was wet far up the shore. Clouds just barely parted enough for the sun to shine through but colors spread across the sky anyways. Arris closed their eyes and just sat there, enjoying the feeling of wind whipping around their hair and the sun warming their skin. It was as lovely as every other day but still… they never got tired of it. When they opened their eyes they looked a little to the left and saw a can sitting on the beach. The storm must’ve brought trash and other debris onto the little shore. 

“I’m gonna get a bag and clean up this trash, you can chill here or go home or whatever you want to do,” Arris stood and started walking away. “Except stealing my veggies, please stop that. I need those,” They continued walking and left before Arachne could respond. 

* * *


	2. Chapter 1.5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little mini chapter from Arachne’s perspective, since the next chapter is taking so long (sorry...)

This human was weird. That was a simple fact, true as yourself or the trees. They had not tried to harm you, capture you, or study you. They had not screamed at the sight of you, run away, and had not seemed disgusted by you. They  _ had  _ fed you, and they  _ had  _ answered all of your questions, asking none of their own except what to call you. They had invited you to join them in their house, and then had invited you to join them in “watching the sun rise”. An odd behavior, not only including your and letting it be your choice, but more recently leaving you to do, quote, “whatever you want to do” with only an exception to taking their “veggies” which you assume to be in reference to the plants by their house you’d been eating. Not your fault their food tasted so much better than your usual diet. You truly didn’t know it was theirs, just thought it was near their house. That camera had ruined it though. That and your axe getting stuck in it. Wait. Your axe! You left it up there! You quickly scramble up the steps and around the side of the house to the place where the plants grew. Your axe was still sticking out from where it was lodged, fully through the camera and partially into the wall. The anger at a camera being placed had made you use… a bit more force than necessary. You went back to attempting to wiggle it out of the wall. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, comments are greatly appreciated, whether it’s a (helpful!!!) critique or just a keyboard smash I’ll adore it :>  
> If you wanna see art of the characters my tumblr is RisingReptiles, same as my username on here.


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